Effect of 12-month daily resveratrol supplementation on brain health in post-menopausal women (Supporting healthy ageing in women with resveratrol - RESHAW)

The decline in estrogen production at menopause heightens a woman’s risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, hypertension, stroke and dementia. We have now identified postmenopausal women as another vulnerable population at risk of dementia who may also benefit from resveratrol supplementation – a strategy that can be easily incorporated into the daily diet. We aim to gather evidence for the efficacy of vasoactive nutrients in maintaining optimal circulatory function to reduce the risk of developing dementia. Given that resveratrol supplements are available over-the-counter to consumers in Australia, the anticipated outcomes will offer a non-pharmaceutical approach for managing menopause-related symptoms and counteracting accelerated cognitive and physical decline and loss of bone mineral density in women post-menopausally, which can be readily implemented by clinicians and the public. We will recruit 170 post-menopausal women aged between 45 and 85 years old. A 24 month randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover dietary intervention trial will be conducted at the University of Newcastle. A crossover intervention means that all participants will receive the resveratrol treatment. The primary objective of the study is to determine in postmenopausal women the ability of resveratrol supplementation for 12 months to improve cognitive function. The secondary objectives are: To determine whether improvements in cognition, mood, overall well-being (sleep quality, menopausal symptoms and pain) and physical function are accompanied by improvements in cerebrovascular responsiveness to cognitive demands, photic stimulation and/or to hypercapnia. To determine whether resveratrol supplementation can attenuate global cognitive decline. To determine whether resveratrol supplementation can change body bone mineral density and body composition. To determine the effects of resveratrol supplementation on clinic blood pressure and arterial compliance. To determine whether the improvements in the outcomes are related to changes in biomarkers of cardiovascular and bone health, hormone levels and plasma resveratrol concentration.